258 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



ground Picotees. Carnation fanciers have a greenhouse in which to place their plants when in 

 flower. The treatment of this section of the Carnation is very simple, and success may readily 

 be obtained by attending to the details of the work at the right time. The plants are grown in 

 flower-pots, measuring yi'm. and 8£in. across ; the measurement is taken about iin. below the 

 rim. In the trade they are termed 24's and 16's. The plants are grown through the winter 

 in garden frames in 60-sized flower-pots ; two layers are potted into the larger 6o's, and one into 

 the smaller sizes. March and April are the best months in which to repot the plants into the 



the sticks before they are injured or broken by the wind. They remain out of doors 

 until the flower buds show colour, when they must be taken into the greenhouse 

 and arranged on the stage, with the blooms near the glass roof. All the ventilators 

 ought to be open night and day. The flower buds are generally attacked by thrips, and this 

 pest disfigures the blooms greatly, and it is found sometimes within the calyx before the blooms 

 show their colour, therefore as soon as the house is filled with plants, fumigate with tobacco 

 smoke. Even the fully-opened blooms are not in the least injured by the smoke, which 

 destroys the thrips and any green-fly that may be upon the Carnations. I find the 

 most effectual fumigating material is Richards's XL All. It certainly does excel the old-fashioned 

 clumsy method of tearing up tobacco paper or rag, and burning it in the house. It may be as 

 well to fumigate the house two or even three times to make sure that all insect pests are 

 quite destroyed. The flowering period is from the middle of July until the middle of August, 

 and in the North of England and Scotland about two weeks later. The flowers must be 

 shaded from bright sunshine by a movable canvas, which rolls up and down by the use of 

 pulleys. One side of the canvas or screen is fixed to a lath, and the other to a roller. It 

 can be rolled up easily, but the pulleys need not be used unless the house is over 50ft. in 

 length. The rollers should project beyond the house at each end about 6in., and a grooved disc 



1'ICOTEE. FAVOURITE. 



pots in which they are to bloom. The best 

 potting material is compounded of four parts 

 fibrous loam, one of leaf mould, and one of 

 decayed stable manure, and, instead of sand, 

 use some mortar rubbish to mix with the soii. 

 Use clean flower-pots, and drain them well by 

 putting in an inch or more of potsherds in the 

 bottom of the pots ; some fibrous material 

 placed over the drainage prevents the finer 

 particles of soil from mixing with it. Plant 

 three layers in the larger and two in the smaller 

 flower-pots, and as they are repotted they may 

 be put in the garden frames for three or four 

 weeks. Do not be in a hurry to water them ; if 

 the weather is unfavourable they may not require 

 any for two weeks. Any time after the middle 

 of April the plants may be arranged in an open 

 position out of doors ; if sheltered from the east 

 and north, so much the better. Some care is 

 necessary in applying water to them until roots 

 have been freely formed. The plants need 

 the sticks to be placed to them soon after they 

 are put out. The taller-growing varieties 

 require 3ft. sticks, others 2ft. 6in. ; but one 

 stick will do for two plants. As the flower 

 stems increase in height they require looking 

 over occasionally, and must be fastened to 



